After employment minister Mark Hoban let it slip that only 5% of the long term unemployed got jobs for longer than six months, private firms delivering the scheme spewed stats to suggest otherwise.

These graphs show that the longer the claimant is in the system - the more likely he or she will get a job. Remember work programme providers have 24 months to find a job for each person referred to the scheme.

Looking at those entering in June 2011 we can see that after 16 months more than 35% have started on a job. On average the trade body ERSA, which represents the industry, says 29 out of every 100 people referred have been placed into work.

Perhaps the most telling lines are those for November and December 2011, when the recession began. This is also the lowest rate of performance for the work programme providers.

The private firms think that more than 65% of people who start work will get sustained employment. So at present we have on average about 20% of claimants getting jobs.

To put this in context from the third year of the scheme providers are expected to achieve 40% performance for the main group of jobseekers.

The full set of figures is available for download below. Can you do anything with the data?